Anthony's Restaurant Lease Extended To June

Anthony’s Restaurant will remain open two more months after their lease – that was scheduled to end March 31 – was extended through June 10.

The lease was extended at the end of February, said restaurant owner Anthony Akis. He said the 10 days in June are to get all of his equipment and other items moved out of the building.

“I wish they had extended it another 41 years but that’s out of the question,” Akis said Monday.

In October Akis found out the building his 40-year-old restaurant is in was being sold by the owner to a developer that planned to bring a Harris Teeter to Falls Church. City staff has met with Akis several times to discuss potential locations to move his restaurant, said city spokeswoman Amy Betor. The locations, which Akis would not identify, are not feasible, he said.

• See: City Wants Anthony's to Stay in Falls Church

Patrick Kearney, principal for Rushmark Properties, said he has spoken with Akis about possibly moving into the building he wants to construct in the area where Anthony’s is located. Kearney said his firm is still going through the special application process with the city to build the complex and does not have a start date for construction.

“We’ve talked to them about a myriad of options to relocate including being a part of our building,” Kearney said. “I don’t think the timing works for them.”

Akis said he doesn’t know what’s going to happen when the restaurant closes in June but he wants to keep it going. A building that’s at least 3,000 square feet and affordable is what Akis says he needs to keep his restaurant in operation. Without that, Akis said the restaurant would close.

“For me to continue I think I should try to get something locally so my customers can follow,” Akis said. “I don’t think they would come to D.C.”